Presidential committee on flood prevention visits North-East

The presidential committee on flood prevention set up by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has visited the Adamawa and Taraba States in the northeastern part of the country.

The reason of the visit was to raise hope concerning the federal government construction of a buffer dam in Daisn Hausa to contain flood waters from Lagdo Dam.

The PUNCH reports that Buhari had in November 2022, inaugurated a presidential committee saddled with the development of a comprehensive action plan for preventing flood disasters in the country.

The president had mandated the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, to fashion out ways of preventing flood disasters in Nigeria within 90 days.

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The committee, in its bid to complete the presidential assignment, on Wednesday visited the abandoned Dasin Hausa buffer dam, located in Adamawa.

The committee is expected to proceed to Taraba after its two-day fact-finding mission to Adamawa.

Engineer Ali Dala, Director of Dams, in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, who led the presidential committee on flood prevention, on the inspection of the dam, received the request of the Adamawa State government, which called on FGto re-award the contract for the completion of construction of the buffer dam to prevent flood disaster.

The Executive Secretary, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, Suleiman Muhammad, disclosed to journalists that the state government made two key recommendations namely the construction buffer dam in Dasin Hausa and dredging of River Benue.

According to him, the disaster from last floodings occasioned by release of water from Lagdo Dam claimed 58 lives, while over 2,000 houses were destroyed and displacement of over 180,000 persons from their homes.

He said the fact that Buhari’s regime could come up with the flood prevention committee meant it was ready to forestall future reccurence.

He said, “We looked at how the flood is going to be prevented in our interaction with the committee.

“First of all, we have identified that there was a proposal for a buffer dam, at Dasin Hausa, which was visited by the committee.

“Definitely, when this dam is constructed, it will take whatever excess water that is going to be released from Lagdo Dam.

“The committee has made it one of their recommendations to Mr. President. The mere fact that the administration came up with the flood prevention committee meant Mr. President is ready for business. And because of that, we have high hopes.”